Venezuelan opposition leader talks with pope at Vatican, says Francis promotes dialogue

In this picture provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis meets leader of Venezuela’s opposition, Henrique Caprile Radonski, at the Vatican Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2013. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho) (The Associated Press)

VATICAN CITY – The Venezuelan opposition leader who narrowly lost his country's presidential election earlier this year has met with Pope Francis.

Henrique Capriles says Francis used the 20-minute meeting on Wednesday to encourage dialogue as a way to overcome polarization between the government and the opposition.

The Vatican said Francis received Capriles at the end of the weekly public audience in St. Peter's Square. It gave no details about what the two men discussed.

Capriles also said he invited the Argentine-born pope to visit Venezuela.